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How to Use Flexible Points With Different Banks to Book Multiple Airline Tickets on the Same Flight

June 25, 2017
by
Million Mile Secrets Million Mile Secrets

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Million Mile SecretsMillion Mile Secrets Team

We devote thousands of hours of research to help you get Big Travel with Small Money. You support us by signing-up for credit cards through partner links which earn us a commission. Here’s our full Advertising Policy.

I have enough Chase Ultimate Rewards points for one round-trip flight to Spain. But I would need to use my AMEX Membership Rewards points for a 2nd airline ticket. Any ideas how I can use points from both programs for a trip for 2 to Spain on the same airline?

Having the flexibility to transfer points to dozens of airline partners makes it easier to book award travel! Because even if your flexible points are with different banks, you can transfer points to airline partners in the same alliance to book multiple tickets. The major airline alliances are:

Airline Alliances Are Helpful Because You Can Redeem Miles or Points on One Airline to Fly on Another

Just remember, you can only use miles or points from a partner airline to book an award flight if low-level award seats are available.

I’ll show how Ray can book 2 award flights to Spain using points from AMEX Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards.

Keep in mind, there are lots of different options depending on your departure city and travel dates. So this is just one example.

1. Book One Seat With United Airlines Miles

You can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to United Airlines to book a round-trip award flight to Barcelona.

For example, I found an available award seat on a SWISS Air flight from Boston in October 2017 for 30,000 United Airlines miles each way. So you’ll pay 60,000 miles total for a round-trip award flight.

You Can Transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards Points to United Airlines to Book an Award Flight to Barcelona

You can NOT transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points directly to SWISS Air. But United Airlines and SWISS Air are part of the Star Alliance. So redeeming United Airlines miles for a flight is a terrific workaround!

2. Book a 2nd Seat on the Same Flight With Air Canada Aeroplan Miles

To get a 2nd ticket using AMEX Membership Rewards points, you can transfer points to Air Canada Aeroplan, which is also part of the Star Alliance.

You Can Transfer AMEX Membership Rewards Points to Star Alliance Partner Air Canada and Book the Same SWISS Air Award Flight

I found the same round-trip award flight for 60,000 Air Canada Aeroplan miles. But keep in mind, each program may charge different prices depending on their award chart.

So he can book one award ticket by transferring Chase Ultimate Rewards points to United Airlines. Then, book a 2nd ticket on the same flight by transferring AMEX Membership Reward points to Air Canada Aeroplan. Because both transfer partners are part of the Star Alliance.

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Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. And that’s just how we like it! :)

5comments

For someone new to the game, this is an insightful article. I’ve been trying to understand ways to stretch my miles as far as I can for travel for my wife and I.

Right now I’m only part of Chase Ultimate Rewards so I knew you could transfer to airlines and then subsequently book awards on airlines that aren’t actually a partner of Chase.

Conflicted on whether I should add in a card such as Starwood AMEX, one that earns Membership Rewards, or Thank You Points (I think AMEX or Membership Rewards might be better for us)

But this is very helpful to understand and even explain to others the versatility of credit card signup bonus since you could get 50,000 from the Sapphire to book one ticket and then 50,000 from an AMEX card to book another. Cool!

“Just remember, you can only use miles or points from a partner airline to book an award flight if low-level award seats are available.” That’s the key sentence. I keep reading blogs about using Singapore Air to book 1st or business on United and ditto for Korean Air to book on Delta for much lower mileage requirements on SA and KA. Then you go to the United or Delta sites and there is literally NOTHING for a low-level award–even several months out.

I think bloggers should focus on this (bold, huge font, highlighted in yellow). Very disappointing for folks that think this might actually be an option.

Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. And that’s just how we like it! :)